School District Orders Coaches to Stop Bowing Heads in Prayer

The Coweta County School District issued an edict banning all coaches and other employees from participating in student-initiated or student-led prayer or other forms of worship while acting in their official capacity. Photo/Freedom From Religion Foundation

Heaven help the coach who bows his head to pray in Coweta County, Georgia.

The Coweta County School District issued an edict banning all coaches and other employees from participating in student-initiated or student-led prayer or other forms of worship while acting in their official capacity.

"They cannot join hands, bow their heads, take a knee or commit another act that otherwise manifests approval with the students' religious experience," school board attorney Nathan Lee wrote in a letter obtained by the Newnan Times-Herald.

The prayer ban stems from a complaint filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based group of disgruntled atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers.

They obtained video of East Coweta County High School football coach John Small bowing his head during a team prayer.

"It is illegal for public school athletic coaches to lead their teams in prayer," FFRF attorney Christopher Line wrote in a letter to the school district. "Coach Small's conduct is unconstitutional because he endorses and promotes his religion when acting in his official capacity as a school district employee."

The Freedom from Religion Foundation has an ugly history of bullying small towns into eradicating any public displays of the Christian faith. And they have spies lurking everywhere.

"We understand there are laws in place and we follow them to the best of our knowledge," Coach Small told the local newspaper.

Parents and community residents are not big fans of the out-of-town atheist agitators.

"What kind of leader would you rather have than somebody that would pray for their children, for your children, for all of our children?" Alice Thompson told television station WSB.

"I have my right to pray and everybody else has a right to pray so we'll stand behind Coach Small and our boys," one parent told television station WAGA.

Professional football coaches are celebrated for taking a knee to protest America, but high school football coaches are targeted for taking a knee to prayer with their players.

What a mess, folks.

Although, had Coach Small been taking a knee to protest America -- I doubt the Freedom From Religion Foundation would've objected.